


Cavalier

by cosmicrecyclingbin



Series: Pirouette-Verse [3]
Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Meet the Family, Meeting the Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:06:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27908704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosmicrecyclingbin/pseuds/cosmicrecyclingbin
Summary: Cavalier:  a classical ballet term that refers to the male partner of a ballerina.  The origin of the term comes from the so-named role of the partner of the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker.A good cavalier is a supportive partner, through and through.
Relationships: Kurapika/Leorio Paladiknight
Series: Pirouette-Verse [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2033383
Comments: 8
Kudos: 81





	Cavalier

**Author's Note:**

> The meet the parents prompt is the one that won the Twitter poll this time, and I was so excited to do it that I actually started writing it before the poll was over lol.
> 
> This fic takes place sometime between Chapters 12 and 15 of Pirouette. 
> 
> Follow me on Twitter @renegayde007 to participate in future polls!

Kurapika watched his boyfriend preen in front of the mirror, rubbing pomade between his palms and running it through his wavy hair to push it back from his forehead. Though he was silent, the dancer could tell by the set of his shoulders that he was nervous.

“You know, if you don’t want to go, I can just make up an excuse,” he called from his place on the arm of the couch, staring into the bathroom.

Leorio turned to look at him, “No no no, I promised your mom I’d come. Besides, I really  _ do  _ want to meet your parents. I just want to make a good impression.”

“You already have. My mother hasn’t stopped talking about you since you met her on Facetime that day,” he stretched his bad ankle carefully, flexing his toes, “You have nothing to worry about. I’m more worried about them making a bad impression on  _ you _ .”

Leorio washed the excess hair product from his hands and adjusted his tie in the mirror before exiting the bathroom.

“What makes you say that?”

“My parents, especially Mom, tend to come on a bit strong. It’s why even when I dated boys in high school, I never brought any home.”

Leorio arched a brow, stepping up to him on his perch. He sat one hand on the blonde’s thigh and the other cradled his cheek, thumb carefully swiping away a stray eyelash.

“If Pairo hasn’t scared me away, you really think your parents will? That guy’s practically feral.”

Kurapika snorted, “Fair enough. Just be direct with them if they say something that upsets you. Like... about your family situation.”

The doctor nodded, the grin on his face drooping a bit. Kurapika frowned.

_ It’s still a tender subject… I really hope Mom doesn’t bring it up tonight. _

“We better get going if we want to catch the train in time.”

Leorio nodded, leaning down to peck his forehead before grabbing his jacket. Kurapika hopped off the couch, grabbing his cardigan and sliding his phone into his back pocket.

  
  
  


Kurapika’s parents lived about 45 minutes away from York New by train. Kurapika  _ hated  _ how packed the trains were, which admittedly was one of the few reasons he only had dinner with his parents once a month.

As predicted, the train was full to the brim with passengers of all shapes and sizes, and there was absolutely nowhere to sit.

Leorio held onto one of the stanchions that ran from ceiling to floor in the middle of the car. Kurapika stood close, putting a hand on it as well.

Everything was fine for a while, until the train stopped to let on more passengers and everything got ten times more crowded.

Kurapika felt like the walls of the train were closing in around him as people pressed in closer, bumping his shoulders. His breathing became shallow and he squeezed his eyes shut.

_ I feel like I’m suffocating. _

Suddenly he was grabbed and pressed against something solid and warm.

He opened his eyes and looked up, seeing Leorio’s concerned expression. The doctor pulled him closer and Kurapika let go of the pole to wrap his arms around his waist, pressing his face into his chest. He sighed, the tension beginning to leave his shoulders.

_ Why does he make me feel so safe…? _

  
  


When they exited the train at the station near his parent’s house, Kurapika expected Leorio to bring up what had happened, but thankfully he made no mention of it.

They caught a taxi and it only took a few minutes for them to arrive at their destination.

Kurapika’s family home was a modest two-story 1900s thing made of rich brown brick with navy shutters and white trim. It had a large porch and the lawn was well-kept and decorated with finely maintained flowers.

As they stepped out of the taxi Kurapika took a deep breath, unsure why he suddenly felt so nervous. He knew his parents would love Leorio. He felt heat rising to his cheeks.

_ I guess this is just… kind of embarrassing. _

He looked up at the doctor who had a smile on his face, “So this is where you grew up?”

“Pretty much. We moved here when I was twelve.”

Leorio nodded, “It’s nice. Someone obviously likes to landscape.”

Kurapika chuckled, “Yea, it’s dad’s weekend-hobby-turned-career actually. He left the insurance business and created a landscaping company a few years ago.”

Leorio’s eyebrows raised, “Wow that’s a pretty big leap. What does your mom do?”

Kurapika took his hand and led him up the path to the door, “My mother is a district attorney.”

“That… uh.. That definitely explains how intimidating her third degree was when she asked me all of those questions.”

A laugh bubbled up from Kurapika’s chest and Leorio’s ears and neck turned red.

Kurapika squeezed his hand before letting it go and knocking on the door twice. It opened immediately, as if the hostess had been waiting there the whole time for them.

_ She probably  _ **_was_ ** _ … _

Kurapika’s mother was a short woman but what she lacked in height she made up for in presence. She stood straight, shoulders back, chin up as if ready to give commands. Her dark brown hair was grey at the temple and in several long streaks, pulled back from her face into a neat chignon. She was dressed in a smart eggplant colored pantsuit with tasteful gold jewelry adorning her neck, ears, and wrists. She cut an imposing figure, but the softness in the lines around her face and the fondness in her green eyes made her approachable.

“Sweetheart! Hello, you’re right on time! Your father is setting the table right now,” She pulled Kurapika into a hug and kissed his cheek, before letting him go and practically pushing him out of the way to get to his companion.

Kurapika sighed and rolled his eyes, crossing his arms as his mother took both of Leorio’s hands in her own.

“Leorio, I’m so glad you could come! My husband and I have been so excited to meet you in person.”

Leorio grinned back, flushing a bit, “Thank you for the invitation, Mrs. Kurta, I’m glad to be here.”

She let go of his hands and stepped aside to let them in, “Oh please, you can call me Mira. Calling me Mrs. Kurta makes me feel like I’m in court.”

“Ah, alright, Mira. You have a beautiful home, it’s almost as lovely as you are,” he scratched the back of his neck, sheepishly.

“Thank you dear. Kurapika you really picked yourself a flatterer didn’t you? Come this way, I’ll take you to the dining room.”

The blonde glared at his boyfriend, arching a brow, “I certainly did, didn’t I?”

Leorio whispered a hasty, “ **_I flirt when I’m nervous,_ ** ” and Kurapika snorted.

They followed Mira across the hall and into the dining room. It was a formal-looking thing with a long wooden table and ornate chairs. The drapes matched the color of the fake flowers at the center of the table. Four places were set at one end, two across from the other two, and the head of the table was empty.

Pouring water from a pitcher into each of the four crystal glasses was a man with a full head of grey hair and a neatly trimmed beard. When he stood up from his hunch he was just slightly shorter than Leorio. He wore a pair of dark purple slacks- the same color as Mira’s pantsuit- and a crisp white button-down, pushed up to his elbows. If Kurapika’s mother was intimidating, his father was the exact opposite. He had a kind face with a youthful sparkle in his hazel eyes that promised mischief.

“Hello there! You must be the handsome doctor that I’ve been hearing so much about,” he put the pitcher down and strode forward, giving Leorio a warm handshake, “I’m Tom, it’s great to finally have you for dinner! Would you rather be barbecued or baked?” Kurapika covered his face with his hands and groaned as his parents laughed.

Leorio’s bewildered expression morphed into a grin and his shoulders slumped out of their tense state, “It’s nice to meet you, Tom. Thank you for having me. Just a warning, I’ve been known to give people high blood pressure.”

Kurapika sunk further into himself as the three of them laughed together like old friends.

_ Oh no, what have I created… _

“Come on, have a seat, I’ll grab the food,” Tom gave Leorio a hearty pat on the back before shuffling off to the kitchen.

Mira followed after him, “Would you like some champagne, Leorio?”

“Oh, yes, thank you,” Leorio and Kurapika sat down next to each other.

Kurapika waited until his mother was out of earshot to turn and look at his boyfriend. Leorio looked back, arching his brow expectantly, “What?”

“If I thought you and Pairo made an incorrigible duo, pitting you with my father is twice as bad,” he crossed his arms, shaking his head.

Leorio shrugged out of his blazer and hung it from the back of his chair.

“What?” he chuckled, “He’s funny. They’re both really nice.”

Kurapika’s face softened into a genuine smile, “I’m glad you like them.”

Kurapika’s mother and father returned with the food, serving up glasses of  _ Moët & Chandon  _ and plates of smoked salmon and veggies. They sat down and Kurapika and his mother both primly unfolded their napkins and placed them on their laps.

“The food looks delicious,” Leorio’s eager grin made Kurapika stifle a laugh behind his fist as the man enthusiastically dug into his meal.

After a few minutes of eating with the occasional mention of recent news, Kurapika’s father spoke up.

“You know, Leorio, you're the first boy our sugarplum has brought home.”

Leorio smirked, turning to arch a brow at the blonde whose face was turning a deep shade of red.

“Is that so,  _ sugarplu- Ow!”  _ He winced as Kurapika stomped on his foot under the table.

Mira and Tom acted as if nothing had happened, carrying on with the conversation.

“Honestly, I thought he’d never make a connection with someone. Although for a while there, we were convinced there was more to his friendship with sweet Pairo-”

“ _ Mother. _ ”

“What? You slept in the same bed most of the time when he was over, even though he has his own separate room. Can you blame us for suspecting?”

Kurapika put his fork down and pinched the bridge of his nose, complexion matching the color of his eyes. He didn’t dare peek at Leorio, who was giving him an inquisitive look.

“Anyways, we’re just glad to see Kurapika finally putting himself out there. I’m sure you know how much of a workaholic he is,” Leorio nodded as his mother continued, “We’ve always been afraid that he’d end up alone.”

Kurapika sighed and averted his gaze, willing himself to disappear.

Leorio noticed his discomfort and took a sip of champagne before speaking.

“I see. As parents that must have been difficult to deal with, I assume?”

Mira and Tom looked at Kurapika before glancing at each other.

“We just want him to be taken care of, you know?” Mira swirled her glass of champagne, staring into the pale liquid, “He wasn’t dealt much of a fair hand as a child. I want the rest of his life to make up for what he’s faced.”

Kurapika didn’t realize he’d been clenching his fist on his lap under the table until Leorio’s hand covered it and squeezed. He slowly relaxed and began to eat again.

“I’m glad that when he finally decided to bring someone home, it ended up being a nice fella like you, Leorio. Mira told me that you’re an orphan as well, so I’m sure you can relate to each other on a deep level that others wouldn’t understand.”

Kurapika snuck a glance at the doctor’s face, inspecting for a sign of discomfort at the topic but there was none.

“I think that may be true,” Leorio mused, “Our circumstances may have been different, but the pain is the same, I’m sure.”

Leorio looked at Kurapika and the blonde was struck by the warmth present in his gaze. There was a beat of silence before Mira spoke up.

“I’m sure I mentioned this before, but if you ever need anything, Leorio, we’d love to help. Our door is always open.”

She and Tom shared a glance and they both smiled.

Leorio gave a wobbly smile, “I-I really appreciate that. Thank you.”

Kurapika’s gaze flickered around to each of their faces and something warm and unfamiliar settled in his chest.

“Now, if you’re done eating,  _ Leo _ , would you like to take a peek at some photo albums? I have pictures from every show and dance competition my dear Kurapika has ever been in.”

Unfazed by the sudden nickname, the doctor’s face lit up and Kurapika groaned, putting his head down on the table.

“Oh boy  _ would I! _ ”

  
  
  


After being sufficiently embarrassed by the endless photos of his various life stages, Kurapika dragged Leorio upstairs while his parents cleaned up the kitchen.

Leorio had tried to pitch in with the dishes, to which Tom had patted him on the shoulder and shook his head, saying “ _ Please don’t, if you do that Mira will keep you and I’ll be out of a job. _ ”

  
  


Kurapika ushered him into one of the bedrooms and flicked on the light. The walls were a deep blue color and the floor was hardwood unlike the carpeted hallway. The full sized bed that sat against the left wall was covered in pillows and a couple of stuffed animals. 

Pinned all over the walls were posters from ballets and charts of positions. All of the shelves in the room held trophies from competitions. There was a desk across from the bed that still had an ancient looking dinosaur of a computer on it as well as several textbooks, all piled neatly.

The large window opened out onto the backyard and was framed by a built-in seat. A full-length mirror sat in the corner of the room.

Leorio stepped inside and looked around with wonderment.

“Wow, it looks like you never left.”

Kurapika chuckled, closing the door behind himself.

“Dad dusts it every day. Pairo’s room too. ‘ _ Just in case you need it.’,  _ he says.”

Leorio shoved his hands in his pockets and walked around. He stopped in front of the trophy shelf and let out a whistle.

“You were never casual about anything, were you?”

Kurapika rolled his eyes and stepped up next to him, picking up a picture frame. The girl in the picture appeared to be around seventeen, with short blonde hair and soft, taupe-colored eyes. She was wearing a bright red ensemble, posed in an arabesque. She could have easily been mistaken for Kurapika.

“Some of these belong to my mother.”

Leorio tilted his head in confusion and Kurapika offered him the gilded frame, “My  _ biological  _ mother.”

The doctor nodded in understanding, taking the picture to inspect.

“Wow, you really are a spitting image of her, aren’t you Sunshine? She was a dancer too?”

“Yes. She actually danced with the same company I’m part of… before she died.”

Kurapika sighed and his shoulders drooped. He felt Leorio’s hand settle on his lower back in a comforting gesture as he handed the frame back.

“You’re carrying on her legacy.”

It wasn’t posed as a question, because it was so obvious. Kurapika sat the frame back in its place before turning to face the doctor.

“Yes. It started out that way, at least. It was a way for me to make sure she wasn’t forgotten. But then I realized I liked dancing just because  _ I like dancing _ . And that’s why I’ve continued.”

Leorio smiled, a hand coming up to brush a lock of hair behind the dancer’s ear, “I think that’s pretty damn sweet.”

Kurapika’s cheeks warmed and he averted his gaze, crossing his arms, “If you say so.”

Leorio turned and walked over to the window. He sat on the seat and unlatched it, swinging it open.

“Wow, there’s a tree right there, perfect for climbing. Pity, you never snuck any boys up here.”

Kurapika smirked, sitting next to him, “I never said that I  _ didn't _ .”

Leorio arched a brow, “Oh ho ho, you  _ rascal _ . I knew you were more trouble than you let on.”

The blonde fiddled with the loose strings on his cardigan, flushed from his hairline to his shoulders but looking pleased nonetheless.

“I had my first kiss with Pairo, though neither of us really counts it because it was like kissing a brother… yuck. So I had my  _ real  _ first kiss… among other things… with boys who snuck in my window. We were never caught.”

Leorio blinked as he processed the information he’d been given before his face settled into a fond smile, propping his elbow up on the window sill to lean his head against his hand.

“I would have loved to have been one of the scoundrels that shimmied up your tree just to kiss you in the middle of the night.”

Kurapika’s heart suddenly felt like it was in his throat and the hair on his arms stood on end. He looked down at his shoes, unable to look at the incredibly soft expression on the doctor’s face.

It didn’t last long, however, as Leorio took his chin and coaxed him to look into his eyes.

“Thank you for bringing me tonight. You’re such a private person, it means a lot to me that you’d let me in like this.”

Kurapika swallowed around the lump in his throat.

“I.. you’re welcome, Leorio.”

They drifted closer until their lips were pressed together and Leorio’s hand migrated to cradle the back of Kurapika’s head. Kurapika sighed against his lips and closed his eyes.

  
  
  


As they were leaving, Kurapika’s father pulled Leorio into another room for a chat while the dancer waited by the door with his mother. His nerves were getting the better of him and he began to pace. 

Mira sighed, grabbing him by the shoulder, “Don’t do that, it’s bad for the floor. Calm down, your father is not going to do anything to Leo, we both adore him.”

This did little to dissuade his nerves, but thankfully it wasn’t much longer until the men emerged, both wearing large grins.

They said their goodbyes, Leorio promising to come back for dinner again sometime, and they taxied back to the train station to make the trip back to York New.

  
  
  


Later in bed that night, Kurapika looked up from his book, his curiosity getting the better of him.

“Leorio…”

“Hm?” Leorio turned in his desk chair to face him from where he was doing some last-minute hospital work, “What’s up Sunshine?”

“When my father pulled you aside, what did he say to you?”

"Oh," Leorio gave an embarrassed grin, scratching at his stubble as the tips of his ears turned pink, "Well I was kind of expecting the usual  _ dad  _ talk. You know, the whole shotgun threat and  _ no one will ever find your body _ thing."

Kurapika pursed his lips and arched a brow, silently prodding him to continue.

"It was… exactly the opposite of that," he sat back in the chair and crossed his arms behind his head.

"He told me he was glad that the person who ended up being your partner was a kind and noble character," he averted his gaze, "He said he trusted me to take care of you."

Kurapika hid his flushed face behind his book, sinking down further in bed, "Ah… I see."

He peeked around his book to watch Leorio turn back to his laptop screen.

  
  


_ I think I trust you to do that too. _

  
  
  
  



End file.
